The Babylonian Exile

Or hath oppressed the poore and needy, or hath spoyled by violence, or hath not restored the pledge, or hath lift vp his eyes vnto the idoles, or hath committed abomination,

Or hath giuen forth vpon vsurie, or hath taken increase, shall he liue? he shall not liue: seeing he hath done all these abominations, he shall die the death, and his blood shall be vpon him.

But if he beget a sonne, that seeth all his fathers sinnes, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doeth such like,

That hath not eaten vpon the mountaines, neither hath lift vp his eyes to the idols of ye house of Israel, nor hath defiled his neighbours wife,

Neither hath oppressed any, nor hath withholden the pledge, neither hath spoyled by violence, but hath giuen his bread to the hungry, and hath couered the naked with a garment,

Neither hath withdrawen his hand from the afflicted, nor receiued vsurie nor increase, but hath executed my iudgements, and hath walked in my statutes, he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father, but he shall surely liue.

His father, because he cruelly oppressed and spoyled his brother by violence, and hath not done good among his people, loe, euen he dyeth in his iniquitie.

Yet say ye, Wherefore shall not the sonne beare the iniquitie of the father? because ye sonne hath executed iudgement and iustice, and hath kept all my statutes, and done them, he shall surely liue,

The same soule that sinneth, shall die: the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne, but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him, and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him selfe.

But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely liue, and shall not die.

All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned vnto him, but in his righteousnes that he hath done, he shall liue.

Haue I any desire that the wicked should die, sayth the Lord God? or shall he not liue, if he returne from his wayes?

But if the righteous turne away from his righteousnes, and commit iniquitie, and doe according to all the abominations, that the wicked man doeth, shall he liue? all his righteousnes that he hath done, shall not be mentioned: but in his transgression that he hath committed, and in his sinne that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equall: heare now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equall? or are not your wayes vnequall?

For when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes, and committeth iniquitie, he shall euen die for the same, he shall euen die for his iniquitie, that he hath done.

Againe when the wicked turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawfull and right, he shall saue his soule aliue.

Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed, he shall surely liue and shall not die.

Yet saith ye house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equall. O house of Israel, are not my wayes equall? or are not your wayes vnequall?

Therefore I will iudge you, O house of Israel, euery one according to his wayes, sayth the Lord God: returne therefore and cause others to turne away from all your transgressions: so iniquitie shall not be your destruction.

Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye haue transgressed, and make you a newe heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

For I desire not the death of him that dyeth, sayth the Lord God: cause therefore one another to returne, and liue ye.

Thou also, take vp a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

And say, Wherefore lay thy mother as a lyonesse among the lyons? she nourished her yong ones among the lyons whelps,

And she brought vp one of her whelps, and it became a lyon, and it learned to catch the praye, and it deuoured men.

The nations also heard of him, and he was taken in their nets, and they brought him in chaines vnto the land of Egypt.